Brake attachment for star drag type fishing reels

ABSTRACT

An improved brake attachment for conventional star drag type fishing reels wherein the attachment may be incorporated in the original assembly thereof or as a replacement of a greater number of parts forming the conventional brake mechanism, the attachment consisting of four parts, namely, a drive disk to be rotatably mounted on the conventional drive shaft and positioned within the recess of the conventional driving gear so as to rotate in unison with the driving gear, a brake disk rotatably mounted on the drive shaft and secured to also rotate in unison with the driving gear, and a brake shoe slidably mounted on the drive shaft adjacent the brake disk with a brake member interposed between the drive disk and the brake shoe whereby upon actuation of the star wheel the frictional engagement of the brake shoe and brake disk may be adjusted to provide the desired drag.

I United States Patent [151 3,659,807 Fleischer, deceased [451 May 2,1972 541 BRAKE ATTACHMENT FOR STAR 3,l66,269 l/l965 Veroli ..242/217DRAG TYPE FISHING REELS Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor [72] Inventor:Oscar Fleischer, deceased, late of 2610 Anomey salvatore G Mmtana SouthWest 21st Street, Miami, Fla. 33145 by Helen Krohn Fleischer, executrix57 ABSTRACT Filed! y 1, 1970 An improved brake attachment forconventional star drag type fishing reels wherein the attachment may beincorporated [211 Appl' 33836 in the original assembly thereof or as areplacement of a greater number of parts forming the conventional brake[52] [1.8. CI ..242/2l9 mechanism, the attachment consisting of fourparts, namely, a [51] Int. Cl. ..A0lk 89/02 ri isk to be rotatablymounted on the conventional drive 581 Field 6: Search..242/217,21s,219,220,211, shaft and positioned within h ce s f theconventional 242/212, 84.5 R, 8451 R, 99 driving gear so as to rotate inunison with the driving gear, a brake disk rotatably mounted on thedrive shaft and secured [56] References Cited to also rotate in unisonwith the driving gear, and a brake shoe slidably mounted on the driveshaft adjacent the brake disk UNITED STATES PATENTS with a brake memberinterposed between the drive disk and the brake shoe whereby uponactuation of the star wheel the 2,129,386 9/1938 Schafer X frictionalengagement of the brake shoe and brake y l 0/1929 be adjusted to providethe desired drag. 2,146,582 2/1939 2,198,257 4/1940 McMahon ..242/22l 4Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 //vv/vr0/? OSCARFLEISCHER FIG.4

BRAKE ATTACHMENT FOR STAR DRAG TYPE FISHING REELS This invention relatesto fishing reels and is more particularly directed to a brake attachmentfor star drag fishing reels.

In the conventional star drag fishing reels the disks that produce thebraking effect are positioned within a recess formed in the drivinggear. Since this recess is relatively very small both in diameter and indepth, the brake disks will of necessity be very thin with very littlebraking surfaces thereon. Consequently these disks have to be replacedoften if subjected to normal use. When using the reel for large fish,the heat created by the frictional engagement of the disks does notdissipate properly but instead causes the disks to expand and may evencause them to disintegrate. During the expansion of the disks thebraking effect does not remain constant, so that the operator of thereel must make a change to the adjustment of the star wheel to maintainthe originally selected amount of drag or braking effect. In order toservice the brake mechanism or replace the disks in the star drag typereel, virtually the entire reel has to be dismantled since the gear,within which the disks of the brake is found, is not accessible. Also,the brake disks are not protected against the infiltration of water,salt and other foreign matter requiring repeated and frequent servicingof the brake mechanism in order to keep it in working condition.

The present invention contemplates avoiding all of the above indicateddisadvantages of the conventional brake mechanism in the star drag typereels by providing an improved brake attachment that is readilysubstituted in the conventional reel for certain of the parts.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to providea brake attachment or kit that an ordinary person of normal skill withuse of a screw driver alone can substitute for certain of the brakemechanism found in the conventional star drag type reels, therebyproviding greater brake control and power and smoother action than theconventional brake.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brake attachmentfor star drag fishing reels which attachment consists of a lesser numberof parts than in the conventional brake mechanism resulting in adecreased cost of production and assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a brakemechanism for star drag fishing reels including a large diametered brakedisk and brake shoe, a star wheel operating with indicators such asnumerals and the like positioned to designate braking power with awindow viewer in the handle whereby a smooth and constant braking effectis attained for certain indicated positions of the star wheel.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a brakeattachment that can be originally incorporated in a star wheel fishingreel, or used as a kit to replace the conventional brake mechanism,thereby providing a watertight attachment in lieu of the presentconventional brake mechanism which permits water and foreign matter toenter therein.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will best beunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, with the understanding, however, that the invention isnot confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawingsbut may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modificationsmark no material departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of a conventional fishing reel with thebrake attachment applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the center axis of thebrake attachment.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the brake attachment.

FIG. 4 is a prospective view of the driving gear of the reel.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designatesimilar parts throughout the several views, the numeral l refers to aconventional fishing reel upon which my attachment 11 has been mountedconsisting of end plates l2 and 13 mounted in spaced relation by crossmembers 14. Rotatably mounted on the end plates is a spool 15 having ashaft 16 received in bores 17 at the axes of the end plates 12 and I3.Mounted to rotate in unison with the spool shaft 16 is a gear 20 that isin mesh engagement with a driving gear 21 rotatably mounted on a shaft22..The shaft 22 which has a ratchet wheel 23 mounted at its inner endand extends through the end plate 12 terminating in a threaded portion24 and a threaded recess 25. The shaft 22 is provided also with anelongated recess or blind bore 26 extending from the inner end thereofin which a pin 27 extends. The inner end of the pin 27 is fastened to asupport plate 28 that is fastened to the inner surface of the end plate12. The pin 27 is provided with a peripheral groove 29 in which a keeper30 extending through a bore 31 in the shaft 22 into the peripheralgroove 28 permitting the shaft 22 to rotate on the pin 27 but preventany translitory movement thereon. Pivoted to the support plate 28 as at32 is a pawl 33 biased by a spring 34 to engage the ratchet wheel 23 andpermit a rotation of the shaft 22 in one direction only. A washer orfriction disk 36 is positioned between the ratchet wheel 23 and drivinggear 21.

The driving gear 21 is provided with a centrally disposed recess 37 atwhose periphery are slotted portions 38 that receive lugs 39 mounted onthe outer periphery of a disk 40 positioned within the recess 37. Thedisk 40 is provided with a central bore 42 and slots 41 at the peripherythereof. The slots 41 receive lugs 43 positioned on the end of a sleeve44 having a brake disk 45 secured at the free end thereof and rotatablymounted on the shaft 22. The exposed surface of the brake disk 45 isprovided with radially mounted fins 46 for dissipating heat generated bybraking effect, as is explained in greater detail hereinafter.

It is to be noted that the shaft 22 is approximately cylindrical havinghowever, flattened side portions 47 in order that certain membersmounted thereon may rotate and others not rotate but be slidably mountedthereon as indicated hereinafter. For example, at all times when thespool 15 is rotating, the spur gear 20, drive gear 21, disk 40, sleeve44 and brake disk 45 will rotate in unison therewith. However, mountedon the shaft 22 is a brake shoe consisting of a disk 48 at whoseperiphery is a flange 49 forming a recess 50 for receiving a brakemember 51 and the brake disk 45 as best shown by FIG. 2. The brake shoe48 is provided with a noncircular bore 52 so that the brake shoe 48 maynot rotate about the shaft 22 but can only slide longitudinally alongthe shaft 22.

Threadedly mounted as by threads 58 on the threads 24 of the shaft 22 isa star wheel 53 held frictionally thereon by a spring washer 54interposed between the brake shoe 48 and the star wheel 53'. Mounted onthe square end 35 of the shaft 22 is a crank or operating handle 55having a square opening 59 secured to the shaft end 35 by a bolt 56. Thecrank 55 is provided with an opening 57 so as to view indicators such asnumerals and the like found on the star wheel 53. When the star wheel 53is rotated about the shaft 22 on the threads 24, the star wheel 53 willmove on the shaft 22 against the spring washer 54 in the direction ofthe brake shoe 48 or in the opposite direction. When the star wheel 53is rotated so as to move away from the spring washer 54, the frictionalengagement of the brake disk 45 and brake shoe 48 will be at a minimumand one of the indicators on the star wheel 53 will be viewable throughthe opening 57 on the operating arm 55. Now as the star wheel 53 isrotated to move in the direction of the spring washer 54, the frictionalengagement of the brake disk 45 and brake shoe 48 is progressivelyincreased. This brake effect is known as drag. The fisherman will beable to correlate the position of the star wheel and the desired drag byuse of the indicator on the star wheel as viewed through the opening 57in the operating arm 55.

As stated hereinabove when the reel or spool 15 rotates by virtue of theaction of a fish, for example, pulling on the fishing line that is woundon the spool 15, the gears 20 and21 will rotate as well as the disk 40,sleeve 44 and brake disk 45. The

pawl 33 prevents the ratchet wheel 23, shaft 22 and crank arm 55 fromrotating in direction of rotation of the spool that unwinds the fishingline therefrom. When the crank arm 55 is rotated in the only directionit can rotate, namely in the direction to wind the fishing line on thespool 15, the shaft 22, star wheel 53, brake shoe 48 will always rotatealong with the ratchet wheel 23. It is seen that the brake disk 45 willrotate only when the spool 15 rotates while the brake shoe 48 rotatesonly when the operating handle 55 is rotated. The brake member 51 whichis described as being free floating hereinabove, may be cemented orotherwise fastened to either member 45 or 48 if desired, the brakingeffect being the same in any situation.

When there is no effective frictional engagement of the brake shoe 48and brake disk 45, the spool 15 will rotate readily, with little forcerequired to rotate it in the direction to unwind fishing line from thespool while rotation of the operating member 55 will have no effect onthe rotation of the spool 15. When there is a maximum frictionalengagement of the brake shoe .48 and brake disk 45, rotation of theoperating handle 55 will cause the direct rotation of the spool 15 inthe direction of winding the fishing line on the spool 15 while forceapplied on the spool 15 cannot cause the rotation of the spool 15 in thedirection of unwinding the fishing line therefrom.

When a person is fishing, he will first set the drag at zero or minimumby rotating the star wheel 53 so that it moves the maximum distancepossible in a direction away from the spring washer 54 and there beingno frictional engagement between the brake disk 45 and brake shoe 48. Hewill then permit the fishing line to unwind off the spool 15 as bycasting or letting the line out in trolling. After a desired amount offishing line has been let out into the water, he sets the drag byrotating the star wheel 53 in the direction of the spring washer 54placing the brake disk 45 and brake shoe 48 in frictional engagement tothe proper degree that results in the desired amount of drag asindicated by the indicator on the star wheel 53 viewable through theopening 57 in the operating handle 55. When a fish is caught, the personcommences to bring it in by operating the crank arm 55 to wind thefishing line on the spool 15. When the pulling force of the fish is lessthan the drag, the spool 15 will rotate to wind the fishing linethereon. However, when the fish pulls with a greater force than the dragas affected by the frictional engagement of the brake disk 45 and brakeshoe 48, the spool 15 will rotate in a reverse direction to permit thefishing line to unwind from the spool 15 and thereby prevent the fishingline from being subjected to a force beyond its breaking strength.

The attachment 11 to the star drag type fishing reel 10 whichconstitutes the invention herein, consists of the following parts: thedrive disk 40, the brake disk 45 with its sleeve 44, the brake shoe 48,49, and the brake member 51, the remainder of the structure shown anddescribed hereinabove is conventional. In other words, a person desiringto utilize the present invention on a conventional star drag reelpurchases a kit containing the four parts 40, 45 and 48 and 51. He thenremoves all of the parts that are on the shaft 22 exterior of the endplate 12 so as to expose the driving gear 21 with its recess 37 emptiedof a plurality of conventional thin brake disks that are normally foundtherein. All that need be done is to insert the drive disk 40 in therecess 37 with the lugs 39 received by the slots 38; slide the sleeve 44and brake disk 45 on the shaft 22 until the lugs 43 on the sleeve 44 arefitted into the slots 41; then slide the brake member 51 and ,brake shoe48, on the shaft 22 until the flange 49 enshrouds the brake disk 45. Theremainder of the structure which is conventional is then placed on theshaft 22 as described hereinabove.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a star wheel type fishing reel having a rotatable drive shaftthreaded at one end portion, ratchet meanspennitting rotation of saiddrive shaft in only one direction, a driving gear operatiyely connectedto a spool and rotatively mounted on said dnve shaft, said driving gearhaving an axially disposed recess, a star wheel threadedly mounted onsaid end portion of said drive shaft, an operating member secured tosaid one end portion of said drive shaft for rotating said drive shaftin said one direction, a brake disk and a sleeve secured theretorotatably mounted on said drive shaft, said sleeve extending in thedirection of said recess of said driving gear, a further disk memberrotatably mounted on said drive shaft in said recess and secured to saiddriving gear for unitary rotational movement therewith, means securingsaid sleeve and said further disk member for unitary rotational movementtherewith, brake shoe means slidably and non-rotatably mounted on saiddrive shaft adjacent said brake disk and in proximity of said star wheelwhereby upon the threading of said star wheel on said drive shaft, saidbrake shoe means is compelled to slide laterally on said drive shaftinto frictional engagement with said brake disk for effecting drag onsaid spool.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said brake shoe meanscomprises a third disk member, a flange mounted about the periphery ofsaid third disk member and brake material interposed between said brakedisk and said third disk member, said flange enshrouding said brakematerial and said first named disk member and spring washer meansmounted on said drive shaft between said third disk member and said starwheel.

3. The structure as recited by claim 2 wherein said means securing saidsleeve and said further disk member comprises slots formed on saidfurther disk member and lug portions mounted on said sleeve received insaid slots.

4. The structure as recited by claim 3 wherein indicator markings arepositioned on said star wheel and said operating member having anopening aligned with said markings for viewing said marking to indicatethe rotational position of said star wheel with relation to saidoperating arm and the amount of drag imposed thereby on said spool,

i t t I i

1. In a star wheel type fishing reel having a rotatable drive shaftthreaded at one end portion, ratchet means permitting rotation of saiddrive shaft in only one direction, a driving gear operatively connectedto a spool and rotatively mounted on said drive shaft, said driving gearhaving an axially disposed recess, a star wheel threadedly mounted onsaid end portion of said drive shaft, an operating member secured tosaid one end portion of said drive shaft for rotating said drive shaftin said one direction, a brake disk and a sleeve secured theretorotatably mounted on said drive shaft, said sleeve extending in thedirection of said recess of said driving gear, a further disk memberrotatably mounted on said drive shaft in said recess and secured to saiddriving gear for unitary rotational movement therewith, means securingsaid sleeve and said further disk member for unitary rotational movementtherewith, brake shoe means slidably and non-rotatably mounted on saiddrive shaft adjacent said brake disk and in proximity of said star wheelwhereby upon the threading of said star wheel on said drive shaft, saidbrake shoe means is compelled to slide laterally on said drive shaftinto frictional engagement with said brake disk for effecting drag onsaid spool.
 2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said brakeshoe means comprises a third disk member, a flange mounted about theperiphery of said third disk member and brake material interposedbetween said brake disk and said third disk member, said flangeenshrouding said brake material and said first named disk member andspring washer means mounted on said drive shaft between said third diskmember and said star wheel.
 3. The structure as recited by claim 2wherein said means securing said sleeve and said further disk membercomprises slots formed on said further disk member and lug portionsmounted on said sleeve received in said slots.
 4. The structure asrecited by claim 3 wherein indicator markings arE positioned on saidstar wheel and said operating member having an opening aligned with saidmarkings for viewing said marking to indicate the rotational position ofsaid star wheel with relation to said operating arm and the amount ofdrag imposed thereby on said spool.